Acetylene manifold



Aug. 14, 1951 J. J. CROWE ACETYLENE MANIFOLD Filed Aug. 17, 1945 ks f m d A Mn I an 2 Z W n 1 k z 2 4 3w? Z Patented Aug. 14, 1951 ACETYLENE MANIFOLD John J. Crowe, Westfield, N. J.,assignor to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, a corp oration of New York Application August 17, 1945, Serial No. 61l,il'13 2 Claims. (01. 48192) This invention relates. to acetylene manifolds of the type used to connect a number of acetylene cylinders to a service line that supplies oxyacetylene cutting or welding torches or similar equipment. 6

Acetylene manifolds present certain safety problems. If the temperature of the acetylene in the manifold becomes too high the acetylene is likely to dissociate and produce an explosion.

A temperature rise in the acetylene which might result in such an explosion could occur, for example, when a valve is opened quickly because there is then a rush of new gas into the manifold which pushes the gas already in it to one end of the manifold and recompresses it, thus raising its temperature rapidly.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means in the acetylene manifold itself which will function Without materially interfering with the normal flow of acetylen through the manifold to eliminate or greatly reduce the danger of dissociation explosions of the kind that are due to a temperature rise in the acetylene.

This is accomplished, in accordance with the invention, by positioning in the manifold a numher of tubes or solid rods which extend lengthwise through the manifold and are spaced apart laterally and are arranged in a row or series transversely of the manifold so as not to interfere materially with the normal flow of acetylene through the manifold, the row or series of tubes or rods being twisted into helicoidal shape. The rods or tubes absorb heat from the acetylene and prevent a, temperature rise, due to recompression of the acetylene or some other cause, from reaching a point where an explosion will occur. The helicoidal shape given to the rods or tubes produces turbulence of the gas and makes their cooling effect on the gas more uniform.

The invention is illustrated in several difieram; forms in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a broken front elevation of an acetylene manifold embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one end Fig. 5 is another view corresponding to Fig. 2

showing a further modification of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is an explanatory view showing an alternative way of connecting and twisting the rods or tubes in the manifold.

' Referring first to Fig.1 there is represented at [0 the usual acetylene manifold supported on a beam ll connected to upright posts I2, only the upper ends of which appear in the drawing. The manifold is made up of a number of spaced fittings |3 joined by sections of pipe. A cut-01f valve I4 connects with each fitting. An acetylene pressure cylinder 15 is connected with each cutoff valve by means of a pipe l6. upper ends of the cylinders are shown in the drawing. Acetylene delivered to the manifold by the cylinders passes from the manifold through a fitting H and pipe i8 to a pressure regulator 19 and thence by means ,of a pipe 20 to the usual flash-arrester (not shown) from which it passes to the service line. The parts thus far described constitute the usual or conventional manifold arrangement, the showing of some of the parts being simplified so as not to detract from the showing of the improvements now to be described.

Referring now to Fig. 2 as well. as Fig. l, I position a, series of tubes 2! within the manifold 10 so that they extend longitudinally through it. Four of such tubes are shown in the drawing. They are spaced laterally apart and arranged in a single row or series transversely of the manifold. At spaced intervals within the manifold the tubes are connected together by connectors or tie members 22 which hold them in proper spaced relation and in proper position in the manifold. The series of tubes is twisted into helicoidal shape as shown in. Fig. 2, i. e. the plane in which the series of tubes would normally lie is twisted into the shape of a helicoid. Th tubes extend through the end closures 23 of the manifold and their opposite ends are connected to manifolds 24 and 25 by means of which a cooling medium, such as water, may be passed through the tubes.

For some installations it is not essential that the tubes be water-cooled. Instead of watercooled tubes, tubes of the kind shown in Fig. 4 may then be used. These are open-end tubes 2| of metal or other suitable heat-absorbing material which do not pass through the end closures 23 of the manifold and are not connected to a water supply system. If desired, each tube may be provided with spaced openings 26 in its walls. In this form of the invention the acetylene gas passes longitudinally through the tubes as well as along their exteriors and also passes in and out of the openings 25. Such tubes with open ends and spaced openings provide a larg area of cooling surface in contact with the acetylene and absorb enough heat from the acetylene to keep its temperature below thedanger point. In fact,

Only the C 3 solid rods of metal or the like can be used in place of tubes, if desired, since they also have a large heat-absorbing capacity. Such solid rods are shown at 2|" in Fig. 5. It will be understood that in both Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 the tubes or rods are arranged in a row or series and connected by spaced tie members and the series given a twist to helicoidal shape, all in the manner described in connection with the water-cooled tubes of Fi 1.

Fig. 6 shows a different connector or tie member construction for connecting the tubes or rods. Instead of connecting each tie member to all of the tubes or rods, each one is connected to only two of them, the first one represented at 22a being connected, for instance, to the first and second tubes M and M of the series, the next one 22b being connected to the second and third tubes 2| and H the third one 220 to the third and fourth tubes 2| and 2, the fourth one 22d to the second and third tubes 2| and 2!, the fifth one 220 to the first and second tubes 2| and 2 l and so on throughout the length of the manifold. The use of connectors of this type makes it easier to twist the tubes or rods into helicoidal shape after they are connected together, and permits them to be twisted into a helicoid of shorter pitch than is possible with the type of connector shown in Figs. 2 to 5.

The heat-absorbing members extending through the manifold, whether they be water-cooled tubes, open-end tubes, or solid rods, when arranged in a row or series and the series given a helieoidal shape, constitute simple and effective means for absorbing heat from the acetylene gas and preventing explosions within the manifold such as occur from dissociation of the acetylene. The rods or tubes do not completely fill the manifold. Being arranged in a single row or series they obstruct the normal flow of acetylene through the manifold but very little, and the helicoidal shape given to the series of .rods or tubes causes enough turbulence of the gas to insure that some portion of the gas will not stay out of contact with the rods or tubes and possibly 4 remain so high in temperature as to start a dissociation explosion.

I claim:

L'The combination with an acetylene manifold for connecting a gas service line with a number of cylinders containing acetylene under pressure and having an outlet for the acetylene and a plurality of acetylene inlets each of which is spaced from the outlet longitudinally of the manifold, of a plurality of open-end tubes positioned in the manifold and extending longitudinally thereof and each of which is provided with spaced openings in its walls, all of said tubes being held in laterally spaced relation and arranged in a single series transversely of the manifold, and the series of tubes being given the shape of a helicoid.

2, The combination with an acetylene manifold for connecting a gas service line with a number of cylinders containing acetylene under pressure and having an outlet for the acetylene and a plurality of acetylene inlets each of which is spaced from the outlet longitudinally of the manifold, of a plurality of open-end tubes positioned in the manifold and extending longitudinally thereof and each of which is in communication through its open ends with said inlets and said outlet, all of said tubes being held in laterally spaced relation and arranged in a single series transversely of the manifold, and the series of tubes being given the shape of a helicoid.

JOHN J. CROWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Dec. 3, 1946 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH AN ACETYLENE MANIFOLD FOR CONNECTING A GAS SERVICE LINE WITH A NUMBER OF CYLINDERS CONTAINING ACETYLENE UNDER PRESSURE AND HAVING AN OUTLET FOR THE ACETYLENE AND A PLURALITY OF ACETYLENE INLETS EACH OF WHICH IS SPACED FROM THE OUTLET LONGITUDINALLY OF THE MANIFOLD, OF A PLURALITY OF OPEN-END TUBES POSITIONED IN THE MANIFOLD AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF AND EACH OF WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH SPACED OPENINGS IN ITS WALLS, ALL OF SAID TUBES BEING HELD IN LATERALLY SPACED RELATION AND ARRANGED IN A SINGLE SERIES TRANSVERSELY OF THE MANIFOLD, AND THE SERIES OF TUBES BEING GIVEN THE SHAPE OF A HELICOID. 